1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an occupant protection system that is mountable on a vehicle having a row of seats arranged along a left and right direction and protects an occupant seated away from the side of vehicle which has been impacted.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP 3-108564, JP 7-267037 and JP 2006-524161 respectively disclose an occupant protection system that includes on both sides of each of two seats arranged in a left and right direction airbags deployable forward in such a manner as to cover both laterals of the seats.
An occupant protection system described in JP 3-108564 includes on both sides of a seat each one airbag deployable when a vehicle is impacted on a lateral. Occupant protection systems disclosed in JP 7-267037 and JP 2006-524161 respectively include on both sides of two seats each one airbag as well, but out of the airbags, only those located on the side of each of the seats close to the impacted lateral are deployable.
When a vehicle is impacted on a lateral, an occupant seated on a seat is subjected to an inertia force acting toward the impacted lateral. If an occupant seated on a distant seat which is located furthest from the impacted lateral wears a three-point seat belt, the seat belt restrains from the shoulder facing away from the impacted lateral to the pelvis facing the impacted lateral, of the occupant. With this arrangement the seat belt cannot prevent the occupant seated away from the impacted lateral from moving toward the impacted lateral when subjected to inertia heading toward the impacted lateral.
Moreover, in all of the above references, distal ends of the airbags are configured as free ends that are swingable in a left and right direction. That is, the airbags are, configured to deploy forward so as to cover sides of the seat, while leaving distal ends thereof free for swinging. If the airbag having deployed is swingable in a left and right direction at the end, the possibility will be that the airbag swings to the left or right upon receiving an occupant undergoing inertia and moving toward the impacted lateral and, the airbag fails to properly restrain the occupant.